Did you know that in Japan, storage units look after your bicycles for you while you work or shop? Just outside of Tokyo’s Kasai Station sits a robotic monster of an automated parking facility, large enough to hold 9400 bikes. Customers ride up to the station, place their bike onto a small platform and the system will move it into an underground parking unit. When they return, the machine only takes 23 seconds to retrieve it again. The parking system costs 100 yen for a single use (about 60p), or 1,800 yen (£12.00) for a monthly pass. Similar facilities exist for cars and can be found in major cities around Japan, but this slick garage takes the cake. Self-storage can be a great solution for bicycles, motorcycles or other forms of bulky transport you just don’t have the room for. Big Yellow’s solutions range in size and shape, and even though we haven’t quite mastered those robotic employees yet, our units could be perfect to create some extra space.